Shoe-tree



SHOE} TREE Filed 031' ORNEY Patented Feb. 10, 192.5.

UNITED STATES THOMAS F. LEAHEY, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK.

SHOE-TREE.

Application filed October 5, 1921.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. LnAHnY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Poughkeepsie, New York, have invented the following described Improvements in Shoe- Trees.

On object of my invention is to provide an improved and inexpensive shoe-tree of attractive appearance and that is adjustable tosuit shoes of differentsizes. Another object is to provide a shoe-tree capable of exerting abundant pressure for stretching the shoe-upper and pressing down the toe but without danger of injuring the latter. This part of my invention is particularly applicable to those shoe-trees in which the expanding pressure is positively applied as by the commonly used toggle, and especially to those trees that are adjustable to different shoe sizes. In such trees, my invention prevents injury to the shoe by the repeated application of trees that are carelessly adjusted too long for the shoe. It also permits insertion even if over adjusted without undue strain on the hands.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. l is an elevation of a shoe-tree embodying my invention shown in place in a shoe. Figure 2 is a top plan of the same tree removed. Figures 3 and 4 are respectively sections of the tree on lines IIIIII and IV-IV of Fig. 1. Figure 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the vamp or fore member of the tree is shaped. Figure 6 illustrates a somewhat different style of tree.

In the shoe-tree shown in Figures 1 t0 5, the fore member 7 comprises a plate of sheet metal or other sheet material curved clownwardly at both sides to fit the vamp of the shoe and narrowed toward the toe. The heel member 8 is a simple loop or how. The expansion member between the two for crowding the vamp member forward into the shoe, comprises complementary threaded members 9 and 10 hinged respectively to the vamp and heel members. At the heel piece the hinge is formed by a bolt passed through the end of the screw 10 and the two ends of the bow, while the hinge at fore-member 7 is preferably formed on a rearwardly extending tab 14 left integral with the center of the rear edge of the plate when itis formed (Fig. 5). Each side of the tab is drawn down with a quarter turn, in opposite directions, to bring its sides into parallel Serial No. 505,482.

vertical planes (Fig. 4) and the forward end of the screw 9 is placed between these tab sides, being preferably somewhat flattened at both sides as shown, and a bolt or rivet is passed through all three completing the hinge. Such a connection, that is to say, one in which a portion of metal integral with the vamp plate is bent or crimp'ed so as to engage the side of the ex pansion member, will be found adequately strong even though the metal be of light gauge. lVhen the vamp piece has been placed in the forward end of the shoe, the rear of the heel piece is dropped into the heel of the shoe, as will be understood, while the rear hinge is held elevated. As the hinge is now pressed down a toggle is formed by the expansion means 9l0 and the heel piece 8 and the vamp piece positively forced forward a definite distance and against the inside of the shoe, the appropriate pressure being thus brought to bear to straighten out the shoe. Then the rear hinge has been pushed down against the insole and thus beyond adead center between the forward hinge and the rear end of the heel piece, the pressure of the shoe on the device holds the device expanded until the hinge is again raised by hand. Before insertion the device may be manually adjusted in length to suit diiferent shoes by rotating the heel part and thus turning the screw 10 in its companion 9 as will be apparent.

The shoe tree of Figure 6 differs from that of the preceding figures principally in the substitution of expansion members that are adjustable step-by-step. The heel piece 12 is a suitably shaped block to which two parallel links 13 are hinged at its opposite sides. These are joined at their forward ends by a pin 14 adapted to engage in any one of the notches provided in the slot of a link 15 hinged to the fore member 7. Prior to the insertion of the tree into the shoe, the pin is placed in the most appropriate notch, depending on the length of the shoe in question; as before, the fore and heel pieces are then inserted while the joint at the pin 14 is held elevated and the latter is subsequently pressed down to the insole.

In both trees it will be observed the extreme forward end of the vamp piece (the vamp piece as a whole being substantially rigid) is bent or loosely curled at 17 about an axis transverse to the length of the shoe, thus forming a spring tip which is preferably sufli'ciently narrow to enter the 1 shoe toe and bear against the extreme front w all 5 thereof as shown in 1. As the fore member is forced forward therefore, in the manner before described, the curled toe-end is forced against the front wall of the shoe and into circumferential contact therewith and also more or less downwardly the curl is designed tohave sufficient resiliency to yield to this pressure before the pressure becomes suflicientlyj great to 'in tire the front wallor toe of-the'shoe; it therefore per 'niitsthe fore member 7 to extend with safe- ;ty into theextreme forward end of the-toe of the shoe, as shown. Asthe curl thus yields in the direction ofthe length of-the shoe when the-expansion members are actuated to separatethe fore and rear members, it limits the' pressure that may be brou, ;ht;to bear on the end-wallof the shoe; that is, no greater pressure can be brought tobear on this wall than is necessary to force the curledportion 157 fartlierbackon itself. While this pres- ;the shoe to the desired-extent, by providing the spring or curl with sufiicient resistance, bygthe same means this pressure may ;be kept' low enough -to preventthe end ofthe forememberpushing through the toe of the shoe, even after repeatedfapplications, or

nature-of the expansion means used in con junction with the spring member, is immaterial except that the spring is particularly applicable to trees having positively acting expansion means, and especially those that are adjustable wstep-by-step, examples of which are illustrated in the drawing. lhe

7 5V invention isn'ot limited to the particularjde 'vice'shown in the drawings and specifically described herein, but comprehends various,

modifications thereof as set forth in the following claims? 8O 1. A shoe-tree comprising fore and rear members, the fore member being adapted to engage the toe end-wallof the'shoe, posi- I deforming it L or otherwise in uring it, even though the tree be initially-somewhat too long for';the shoea When the ;tree is removed from the shoe the springcurl returns it to it-soriginal shape. It will be apparent th at the spring m'e-mber 17 also autom atically accommodates thetree to shoes of 'j-ustable in length, such *for example as shown iirbothfFigs. 1 and '6, it compensates for any over-extension of the tree furthertive expansion means, and resilient -means adapted to yield in the direction of the length 0f the shoe as said expansion ;means are actuated to separate the-fore lan drear members when the tree is in p'osition, there-s by autom the shoe. =suremaybe made to be-sufiicient to stretch atically accommodatingthe-'tree;to

2. A shoe-tree comprising fore and rear members, said fore member being arranged to engage the 'toeend wall, adjustable *expansion means and res'ilient means adapted to :yieldin the direction'of-the length of theshoe-as the tree is expanded-in ashoe. Q

-3. Ashoe-treepomp-rising a vamp plate, a rear heel engaging' member, positive gexpansion means, and resilient means on the different lengths, and'in trees'that are a d more, trees that are adjustable by definite =stepsonly (Fig. 6) are renderedja djustable by this curl, to substantially thesame fine 'degreeas trees provided with the threaded members 9 and 1 0 and;simila-r expansion devices.

pansion means are a vamp plate toengage the front end wall of the shoe and adapted to yieldin .the direction. of the length of the sh e-as'theeX- ctuated to expand the shoe-tree.

4. A shoe tree having a rigid vamp-mem 1 her, the; toe end-wallf'engagmg portion of which is resilient and adapted to yield in the direction of the length of theshoe.

5. A shoe-tree comprisingrigid fore and rear members, positive manually-adjustable {11.10 1

expansion means, and resilient means on the fore member to engage the front end wall member may assume other formsthanthat of the shoe and yield as the .fore' member is Y "pushed forward. 7 It will be apparent now that the spring '--a-n d' a curled metalelemen-t on the fore mem- *ber disposed to engagethe front endavall oftihe'j shoe and*yi'eld as the "fore member isforced forward.

shoe-when-the expansion means act tofiex pand t-he -treefin position, any invention broa'd'ly comprehending the formation-of a "yieldingand resilientsection in a shoe tree having" fpositively acting, expansion means.

.120 7. A shoe' tree comprising "a vanipimen ber, a heelj member, positive 'Vadj ust'able "expansion means, and a curled metal element on the --vamp member to engage the front The-V ring-sha eform of thisi'membershown .is particular y easyto provide however,

metal, :and whatever its form and nature end Wall of; the shoejand yield as the ex-" pansion member is actuated in tion of the tree. especially when the fore member is ofsheet' "the -inser 1 p-lategmember, I the forward end of which is v a -d. tne o'rm and mature of the expani fiilrled andiadapted to+seatngainstz-the -ifmnt# wall of the shoe and yield as the vamp member is pushed forward, a heel member, and toggle expansion means to separate the vamp and heel members.

9. A shoe-tree comprising a fore member consisting of a metal plate provided with an integral rearwardly extending tab at the center of the rear edge of the plate, the two sides of the tab being bent downwardly a quarter turn, a rear member consisting of a metal bow, and complementary threaded members, one hinged to the ends of the bow and the other hinged between said two poltions on the fore member.

10. An expansible shoe-tree having a fore piece formed from a blank of sheet material, the central part of said blank being downwardly curvedor bent at the sides, the forward end thereof being narrowed and transversely curled to form a resilient ringshaped shoe-tree-tip and the rear end being provided with hinge means, a rear member,

and expansion means hinged to said rear member and said hinge means.

11. The eXpansib-le shoe-tree of claim 10 characterized by the rear end of the fore piece being crimped or folded to form the said hinge means.

12. The expansible shoetree of claim 10 characterized by the rear end of the fore member being crimped or folded to embrace the expansion member and hold it in longitudinal alignment.

13. The expansible shoe-tree of claim 10 characterized by the ring-shaped-tip being arranged to engage the front wall of the shoe on its circumference.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

THOMAS F. LEAHEY. lVitnesses JOHN F. TYNAN, HENRY P. MURPHY. 

